Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1887-10-10
country.
Mr.. Cool continued ;

We glory in our nations high moral
status and | think in n measure IL is Just.
But we have men around Us who talk
loudly of the security of our free inStltus
lions, our commerce and our homes. but
scott at the bible and curse the church
that make these things possible. Go
where nature is the most beautiful and
perfect, but the people without christian
tty, aged parents are lett Ia die alone, the
defoImed and helpless infants are cast ou-
TO he devoured by fire, water or wild
beasts But there are foreign and
heather people; We live in land where
morals are better and people educated.
True, but why. Because We have
recognized standard by which mems
conscience are tried The Christ of God
and the bible, mark Won the standard is
not the government with its constitution
nor the church with its creed. but the
living personal Christ, His character all
His teachings. Tins standard is above
the individual conscience Will the
world ever substitute any other standard
for this? Is new theology and stand
dHu pDSSilit lttl uidl SCibhlul nGNCi
until there is brought forth purer, bet
Ter Christ or wiser than Him who hath
uttered the golden rule as mans highest
precept. In this country men are held
accountable Tor their deeds without ref
erence to their private conscience.
Take the question of slavery. | never
could understand Just how men could
read this Old bible, worship the same
God that We do. and pray just AS devOut
| iy and honestly AS our Father did, and
| vet rise up 20 feel and think slavery was
right. We must admit that they were
| Just as good and just as conscientious as
We are: but the great heart and con
science of this christian land rs it ap
| preached God and knew more of the
truth, SAID it Was wrong, and slavery
must 90.
! Whatever may he the private CON
science of many. look for the day when
| the abolition OF the rum traffic will be
| brought about on the ground that it out
RACES the sense of right and justice in
this country.
The modern question of personal lib
| tltJ tlLtlS hIoChGolph uSiNb bht w
pass il with the remark that there is NJ
law, human or divine, that grants any
man a right to interfere with the welfar.
of society on the ground of the rights Of
his own conscience. Conscience is mod
fled by what Il man believes. Paul be
lieved he was doing Gods service wheI
| he held the clothes of them that stoned
| I'D 70 hic dieni,,lao 18Th,
time cometh when he that kitleth You
will think that be doeth Gods service.
Paul testifies afterward that He had live,
in all good conscience. Paul was consci
entious, but he was the chief of sinners
This shows that man is held responsible
for what he believes certainty or 70
what he does. There must therefore b
a stand; I'd for belief--a well or mora
rectitude-that standard is Gods II
vealed will-tbe holy bible. Jus! iii pre-
portion, as men fail to know, Gods viii
the conscience, will be defective. Til
accuracy of conscience is modified by IL
moral condition. The conscience of til
good man will discern the moral qualit
of actions with greater accuracy than Il
conscience of bad man. 1t is more ser
sitive TO the voice of divine wis
dom. and more willing to heed il
admonitions. Consciences is God
monitor in the heart of every man
may be disregarded, trampled und,
foot, scared as with hot iron until
mans ways may seem right in his ON
eyes, but the end thereof is death |
voice may be drowned for a time, b
OF forever.
Six years agoI walked about St. Pau